Index Astartes: Amber Vipers
by Mattwho81
Summary: From the ashes of destruction the Amber Vipers rise, leaving behind a past of dishonour and shame in favour of a glorious new future. Cold and ruthless in word and deed they fall upon the enemies of man with cunning and guile. Yet in their hearts they struggle to rise above their past and may well fall short of the noble ideals they aspire towards.
1. Chapter 1

**Index Astartes Amber Vipers**

 **From the ashes of destruction the Amber Vipers rise, leaving behind a past of dishonour and shame in favour of a glorious new future. Cold and ruthless in word and deed they fall upon the enemies of man with cunning and guile. Yet in their hearts they struggle to rise above their past and may well fall short of the noble ideals they aspire towards.**

 **Origins**

In the dark days of the Noctis Aeterna confusion and anarchy reigned. Death and destruction were everywhere and none could begin to grasp the scope of the calamity that had befallen the galaxy. Many strange tales emerged from those days, rumours of impossible happenstances and mysteries galore. Buried among those tales were reports of a supposedly long-dead Chapter re-emerging, a band that was declared lost millennia earlier suddenly extant. These warriors moved in the dark reaches of the galaxy, fighting in the abandoned and forgotten corners of the Imperium and they called themselves the Amber Vipers.

In the normal state of affairs such an oddity would have drawn great scrutiny but this was the age of the Dark Imperium and there were multitudes of crisis drawing greater attention. So the Inquisition dispatched Inquisitor Vevara to investigate before turning its attention to more important matters. Vevara began a decade long chase after this elusive band but it was a most difficult pursuit. These Amber Vipers had no wish to be subjected to Inquisitorial scrutiny and moved frequently across the reaches of the galaxy, yet Vevara continued her pursuit and eventually ran them down in the Calixis Sector. What occurred there is unknown but she eventually returned with her official report.

Vevara reported that these Amber Vipers were a handful of survivors from the Angevin Crusade, lost in the Warp for two millennia. They seemed to have emerged untainted, with their loyalty intact and their purpose sound. They were small in number and badly under-equipped but were determined to rebuild and to fight the enemies of Mankind with full fervour. The Inquisition found this strange but there were far more pressing matters at hand and the Imperium could not afford to dismiss a single Chapter, so they let matters lie. But what they did not know was that Vevara's report was nothing but a thin tissue of lies. The force claiming to be the Amber Vipers was in truth nothing of the sort, they were in fact outcasts from a disgraced and treacherous Chapter: the Soul Drinkers.

When the arch-traitor Sarpedeon led the Soul Drinkers into perfidy a small band of loyalists faked their own deaths, seizing a single frigate and slipped away into the darkness between the stars. Led by an officer named Coluber they swore to track down the unsuspecting Traitors and claim vengeance. They swore to keep the spirit of their Chapter in their hearts and never let the flame go out.

Sarpedeon never knew it but his footsteps were dogged by a band of vengeful souls. They never relented in their quest, yet no matter how quickly they moved the Traitors were always one step ahead and they could not bring them to battle. They had to move alone, for any loyal Imperials would assume they too were Traitors, so their quest was a lonely one. There was little honour to be had either for Coluber's troops were oft forced to fight for their survival, pirating supply ships and looting gear from loyalists to keep their quest alive. One by one they were falling and dying and it began to look they would wither away to nothing before they could claim their revenge.

Then the worst news came, Sarpedeon had got himself killed by another's hand, robbing them of their vengeance. Many despaired at this news, demanding that they should seek an honourable death in battle but Coluber refused, for there was one last gleam of hope. A rumour had come to his ears that Sarpedeon had acquired a stash of ancient gene-tech and secreted it away in the dark corners of the galaxy. Coluber knew that this gene-tech could restore his handful of warriors, giving them the means to rebuild and he refused to let his Marines die until it was in his hands.

For decades the lonely band tracked down every possibility, exploring every corner of the galaxy where Sarpedeon could have hidden the gene-tech. Many railed against such a timid existence, but Coluber was unwavering, he had sworn to keep the flame alive and he would not be turned from his path. Eventually his faith paid off, on the primitive and feral world of Trux, Coluber found the gene-tech and it was more than he had ever hoped for. He at last had the means to rebuild in his hands and yet his hearts were heavy.

The Soul Drinkers were disgraced, they were dead and gone and Coluber was tired of arguing the point. He knew all too well that the Imperium would never allow them to return, no matter how ardently they pledged their loyalty. Faced with a bleak future Coluber made a fateful decision, he would not try to rebuild a disgraced Chapter. Instead he would start again, writing a new destiny on the blank pages of history. He faced his two dozen surviving Brothers and proclaimed that they would leave their dishonour and shame in the past. They would set off into the stars and start recruiting a new brotherhood, forging a destiny all their own, a bright and honourable future under the banner of an extinct but loyal Chapter.

The Soul Drinkers were dead, Coluber declared, henceforth his Marines would be known as the Amber Vipers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Combat Doctrine**

The Amber Vipers are operating as an under-strength and ill-equipped force and as such have had to adopt a specific mentality to warfare. They present themselves as a dedicated assault force, one that favours rapid-manoeuvres and sudden redeployments. Partly by philosophy and partly by material reality they have no use for defensive warfare or battles of attrition. Instead they favour swift precision attacks, overwhelming smaller targets but withdrawing entirely if in danger of being pinned down. They also utilise airborne assaults and fast assets wherever possible, maximising the effect of their limited forces.

The Chapter typically operates in the forgotten reaches of Imperial space usually approaching isolated worlds, those abandoned by the high and mighty Imperium, to barter their aid for material support. The desperate and despairing Governors are willing to pay any price for the aid of the Astartes and none have turned away their might. Though some may hesitate to pay once the war is won, few actually have the nerve to deny the Astartes their due.

The Amber Vipers have also become proficient at ship-to-ship boarding actions, this has stood them in good stead when confronting pirates and raiders and the Chapter has become the scourge of the space lanes, tracking down reavers wherever they lurk. This however is not some selfless act of noble valour but rather a chance to capture ships for their fleet. Some they repurpose to serve as warships, others they salvage for parts to keep their meagre fleet operational.

In ground combat the Amber Vipers make great use of feints and misdirection's, using far ranging rapid-bike squads and aerial assets to attack numerous secondary targets. They seek to confuse and mesmerise the enemy with a bewildering array of strikes, leaving them reeling and uncertain of where the true attack will come from. To achieve this small kill-teams will be deployed into the theatre, given great liberty to find and destroy targets of opportunity.

The foe will be bled by a thousand cuts, oft lashing out at ghosts and jumping at shadows in their confusion. Only once the enemy is totally off-balance and unable to respond will the Chapter launch a devastating strike right to the heart of the foe.

When fighting along aside allies and indigenous human forces the Amber Vipers have displayed a chilling ruthlessness and casual disdain for mortal lives. They think nothing of sacrificing Guard Regiments as distractions or leaving allies unsupported, using them as bait to draw out an enemy into a vulnerable position. While they do not actively target non-combatants, viewing collateral damage as sloppy and wasteful, they see no purpose in pointlessly sacrificing Space Marine lives to safeguard helpless mortals, who would die in a few decades regardless.

In one notorious incident the Amber Vipers withdrew entirely from the defence of a city before a cultist warband attacked. While the cultists rampaged and looted, the Amber Vipers redeployed to attack from the rear and cut down their leader. Without their leader the cultist army broke down into infighting and they were easy prey for the regrouping Imperial armies.

When confronted over the deliberate sacrifice of millions of civilians the Amber Vipers pointed out that by forfeiting one city they had saved a world. Billions of lives had been saved by sacrificing mere millions and the Chapter claimed another laurel for their litany of victory.


	3. Chapter 3

**Organisation**

The Amber Vipers are but the smallest seed of a Chapter and so cannot operate as a normal Astartes force. This is exacerbated by their lack of resources and as such they have been forced to adopt a unique formation. In total disregard of the Codex Astartes they have spilt their forces into three separate cohorts, each with its own role and tactics. The Primus Cohort is formed exclusively of the first-generation recruits, who are fortunate enough to bear the limited supply of Power armour. These warriors are the closest the Chapter has to a Battle Company and they form a powerful, hard hitting assault force that is used to drive into the heart of the enemy.

The Tertius cohort is formed into a scout company, comprised entirely of second-generation recruits. These function as a traditional scouting force, acting to gather intelligence and engage in acts of sabotage behind the lines. Yet it is the Secundus Cohort that truly stands out, a force comprised of a mix of both generations, but who lack access to power armour. The Amber Vipers have formed these warriors into a fast-attack unit, gifting them with the available aerial assets and bikes. These warriors have proven their worth as a rapid response unit, reinforcing assaults or fending off flank attacks. They are also capable of acting independently and have garnered much success as rogue kill-teams, small squads sent out alone without support to complete an objective by any means necessary.

Higher ranks in the Chapter are sparse, yet a small selection of first-generation warriors have been assigned to study the rites of the Chaplaincy, Apothecaries and Techmarines. It is hoped that soon these warriors will form the core of new orders. Yet the most serious issue facing the Chapter is its lack of material support. To address this Chapter Master Coluber favours a policy of entering cooperative pacts and alliance with isolated Imperial worlds. The Amber Vipers lend their martial aid in exchange for arms, fuel and resupply and woe betide the Imperial Governor who thinks to renege on a deal once struck.

The Chapter has proven essential in defending helpless worlds, cast adrift to fight alone in the Noctis Aeterna. Regrettably not all in the Chapter are happy with this state of affairs for a few operations have been of dubious worth, having little to do with threats to the galaxy and more with eradicating political problems for venal Governors. Some even whisper that the Amber Vipers have become little more than mercenaries, guns for hire who sell their honour for material wealth. Rumours that the Masters fiercely stamp down upon, but no matter how much they preach of nobility the rumours simply will not die.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Master Coluber**

Fierce in war and unyielding in spirit Coluber is the driving force behind the resurrection of the Amber Vipers. It was his will and resolve that held his dying band of Brothers together through the dark years of their exile and it was his vision that led to their rise from the ashes. He wields his Relic blade, Venom, with chilling ruthlessness as he leads his Brotherhood forwards, ever seeking a bright and glorious future.

Yet in his hearts Coluber is troubled, for his Chapter walks the perilous edge of extinction. They are a ragged band, operating without support or resupply. His sworn duty is to lead his Chapter with nobility and pride yet he is continuously forced into acts of a questionable nature. To walk this line Coluber has sought to make alliances with Imperial worlds who are in desperate need, seeking mutually beneficial partnerships with those who have no one else to turn to.

Every day Coluber must make the hardest of choices, choosing where his Chapter can intervene and where it cannot. Every engagement must be weighed and judged, to determine if the reward is worthy of the blood he must shed to achieve it. He must harden his hearts against countless cries for distress, for a single disastrous campaign would spell the end of the Amber Vipers, and he can fight only in wars he knows they can win.

Publically Coluber declares these to be selfless deeds, lending succour to the destitute and helpless, but in his hearts even he wonders if he is soiling his Chapter's honour with acts of base greed. Most troubling of all are the youngest recruits, who seem to be the most callow and uncaring. Sometimes Coluber wonders if the Amber Vipers are teaching their Neophytes the right lessons or whether they are learning only to be heartless and unfeeling for the plight of others. What will the Chapter become when the last of the old Soul Drinkers pass away is a quandary that plagues his thoughts night and day.

Yet he is sustained by his vision, the idea of a noble and strong Chapter. One that can fight for duty and honour alone, unencumbered by doubt or greed. It is this ambition that keeps Coluber going and he will not rest until his Chapter is whole, in body and in soul.


	5. Chapter 5

**Homeworld**

The Amber Vipers wandered far and wide during their years of exile and as a consequence have learned many secrets. One of these was the discovery of a long-lost starfort, set adrift somewhere in the lost reaches of the galaxy. This is a Ramilies class starfort, one of those legendary mobile Fortress-Shipyards and the Amber Vipers have claimed it for their own. Officially the Amber Vipers call their base the 'Serpens Rex' but among the more junior Brothers it is called informally 'The Nest'. Inquiries as to when and where they acquired such a base of operations are met with frosty silence, a matter not to be discussed with those outside the Chapter, but it remains a potent symbol of their power and authority.

Yet this veneer of respectability hides the sad truth that the Chapter lacks the resources and manpower to restore their base to its full majesty. Vast stretches of the Nest lie dormant and dead, what little activity there is limited to operating and maintaining the primary systems and the docking facilities for their meagre fleet. Lacking the full power of their own base the Amber Vipers seek safety in obscurity. They move their base often, the Ramilies' ability to traverse the Warp once again proving its most valuable asset. The Amber Vipers range out from their base, seeking wars and keeping away from unwelcome eyes.

Recently the Amber Vipers have devoted much of their limited resources to restoring the Nest's internal manufactorums and mineral processing centres. Many in the Chapter rail against such measures, citing that improving the defences or ability to create more Initiates should take priority but Chapter Master Coluber is adamant. Every step the Chapter takes towards self-sufficiency lessens their dependency upon allies and moves them away from the line of mercenaries to a truly independent fighting force.

It must be said the idea of fighting for honour's own sake and not a sordid alliance holds great appeal and many look forward to the day they can stand proudly as a sovereign Chapter of the Astartes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Gene-Seed**

If there is one resource the Amber Vipers are not lacking for it is gene-seed, the discovery of the original gene-tech accompanied by a sizeable stockpile of Progenoids. It was speculated that this stockpile was intended to serve as a reserve for the treacherous Soul Drinkers, should the worst occur and in a strange way it did, though not in the manner that Sarpedon intended.

The original cache had more than enough stores to create two generations of recruits, accounting for training losses and combat attrition. The Amber Vipers now number some two hundred Brothers, including Masters, Initiates and Scout-novices. The first generation of recruits are now mature enough to have their Progenoids harvested upon death and the recovery of their legacy is the highest priority so that the Chapter may continue to grow.

Recruits for the Chapter are drawn from the orphans of the wars they partake in, but they will not accept any stray waif. To be considered for recruitment one must continue to fight long after all else has been shorn from them. Only those who have lost their families, their hopes and dreams yet still fight on regardless draw the eyes of the Chapter and may undertake the trials of selection.

The Amber Vipers are growing steadily despite their lack of arms and armour and now have far more Brothers than there is power armour to equip them with. Competition for elevation has become ingrained among the young recruits and each one yearns to be elevated to the Primus cohort and don the coveted power armour.

Unfortunately the Amber Vipers have another problem to contend with, the gene-tech they recovered was advanced but far from perfect. Hidden in their gene-seed lingers a mutational flaw, a curse waiting to spring upon the unwary. Approximately five percent of recruits suffer some form of hideous mutation during their ascension, growing deformed limbs, scaled skin, swollen flesh or twisted tentacles. Such things are not unheard of, in even the purest Chapters, but any imperfections are normally euthanized without comment. Sadly the Amber Vipers cannot afford such narrow standards and have been forced to accept these defective warriors into their cohorts.

The existence of such aberrations is controversial and many cry out against such an offence but the situation is undeniable. The Amber Vipers require every warrior capable of holding a bolter and none can be spared from the front line, though it is the Chapter Master's law that no aberrant progenoids be deliberately harvested. Those so afflicted feel immense shame at their existence, lacking Brotherhood and any hope of a legacy most hope only for an honourable death and to be remembered well, thus they are always the first to volunteer for suicide missions and forlorn hopes. The rest of the Brothers are all too glad to let them and look forward to the day when such aberrations can be disposed of entirely.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ferrac**

Among the Amber Vipers there is one name that stands out, that of Ferrac, Battle-Captain of the Primus Cohort. This valiant officer is the greatest warrior of the Chapter and is ever to be found at the forefront of any war, leading his Brothers on by noble word and blood-soaked example. Ferrac has proven himself a bold and daring leader, always looking for the swiftest route to victory and willing to spend any amount of blood to seize it. The litanies of victory are replete with his accomplishments, as well as the worrying high number of Brothers who laid down their lives under his command.

Yet Ferrac is more than some blood-soaked berserker, for he is the loudest proponent of the values of honour and the nobility of their cause. Always he urges his Marines to strive to be the best of men, in body, deed and soul and he holds no doubt that the Chapter will rise to become a great and noble brotherhood. This unquestionable dedication to the Chapter's fierce spirit and his unswerving commitment to the cause has made him an icon to many Brothers and they look to him as their finest Champion.

Yet this uncompromising attitude does not sit well with everybody, some of the youngest Initiates find his calls for valour and sacrifice to be naive and unrealistic, given their unstable situation. This is most pronounced when Ferrac finds himself at odds Chapter Master Coluber, who's differing duties mean they oft disagree on the best course. Ferrac's role is to lead his Marines to glorious victory at any cost, while Coluber must ensure the Chapter itself survives and grows. Several times the Chapter Master has had to hold Ferrac back from a noble but desperate battle that would spell the end of the Amber Vipers and enact a more ruthless solution. Coluber's willingness to spend the lives of civilians and allies to achieve victory grates at Ferrac and he has no qualms voicing his protests before his Master.

This friction has not gone unnoticed by the lower ranks and rumour circulate as to what it means. Some whisper that Ferrac's glory seeking will see the Chapter destroyed, while others say his valour means he should in fact be leading the Amber Vipers instead of Coluber. Yet to both Marines such notions are preposterous, despite their differing attitudes there is a fierce bond of friendship and trust between them and both warriors would sooner cut out their own hearts than raise a blade to their Brother.

Ferrac has taken it upon himself to explain matters to his Marines with his fists, savagely beating down any whom he hears whispers such sedition. Ferrac's loyalty is certain and unbreakable and he has made it clear that any who speaks ill of Coluber will find themselves making a most terrible enemy in the Battle-Captain.


	8. Chapter 8

**Beliefs**

The Amber Vipers beliefs are split by their twin duties; on the one hand they yearn to be noble and honourable warriors worthy of the Emperor, but on the other they are forced into ignoble deeds in order to survive. The Chapter steers a perilous course, between the selfless calling of the Astartes and the sordid deeds necessary to rebuild and all Brothers feel torn between the twin pulls of their duties.

The quest for personal glory is fierce in the Chapter, each warrior seeking his own glorification and striving to be the most accomplished. Rather than fight this trend the senior commanders focus it into a larger unit, awarding laurels to squads rather than individuals. Thus warriors learn that the success of the squad is their glory and their worth will be measured by their commitment to the squad.

No Amber Viper would hesitate to lay down their lives in battle but it is always the ultimate victory that draws their attention. Victory requires sacrifice but the Chapter simply cannot afford grandstanding shows of defiance or wasteful charges into the teeth of enemy fire. Thus circumstances have forced the Chapter to regard mortal lives as an expendable resource, to be sacrificed in the Emperor's service with no more regard than one would have for a bolt shell. When questioned on this matter the Brothers reassure themselves that the sheer number of lives they have saved by ending wars swiftly vastly outweigh any casualties demanded to achieve victory.

In a strange twist it is the most senior Brothers who hold most fiercely to the concept of honour, while the youngest Initiates feel no compunctions about the piles of dead they leave in their wake. The most junior Brothers are far more concerned with their own personal glory and quest to be elevated in the ranks than wasting time coddling mortals. Amongst the senior Brothers concern grows over the soul of the Chapter and who they will become when the last of the 'Old seventeen' pass away.

In many ways the Chapter has little regard for the Imperium and its institutions, beyond its fighting capacity. They largely try to avoid entanglements with the inquisitive adepts and suspicious officials. They stay in the dark places of the galaxy, minding their own affairs and looking with scorn upon the weakness of the Imperium. Such an attitude strays perilously close to making them Blackshields but there are two things that hold their unquestionable devotion. First is their fierce and unbreakable fealty to the Emperor, a loyalty that would they would kill anyone for questioning. The other is their raw visceral hatred of Traitors and renegades, it was such heresy that saw them exiled from their first existence and the Amber Vipers despise any who would seek the same path.

 **War Cry**

Cold hearts and fast blades!


	9. Chapter 9

**The Cerberii**

Throughout their wanderings the Amber Vipers have acquired a great number of rare artefacts and weapons. Many of these are pressed into service, but not all. Some weapons are of such dark repute and some artefacts so vile in their effect that not even a Space Marine would think to use them without pause. Rad-weapons, Alchemic Toxins, Fission-blasters, viral-Clades, Omniphages, Psionic warheads and the crawling horror of Phospex sit alongside the cursed names of the Soul Eater, the Nail and the Eye of Discord.

So tainted are these weapons that even Coluber fears to use them. To safeguard these dark artefacts he looked to the past and found inspiration in a singular order of Astartes: the Destroyer Marines. Coluber selected a small number of Brothers, clad them in black and set upon them the mark of the bloody hand, they were the first Cerberii. These Dread Guardians stand eternal watch over the Gates of Perdition and their duty is not to protect the vaults from outsiders but to protect the Chapter from the weapons.

This onerous duty falls not to shining champions or stalwart exemplars but to the wayward and the disgraced, those who have strayed from the path of duty and fallen short of the measure expected of an Astartes. In a twisted way the Cerberii have replaced the function of Chaplains in the Amber Vipers, not as spiritual guides and moral judges but as a dark example of the fate of those who fail in their duty, a warning few Brothers have failed to heed. They are led by the Claviger, he who holds the keys, and he alone can deem if an enemy justifies the unleashing of his tainted charges. No officer, not even Coluber himself, can order the Cerberii to unlock the Gates of Perdition and the rest of the Chapter dreads those days when they march to war. For where the Cerberii march comes death, staining the very air with lingering foulness and sowing the ground with salt.

 _Oath of the Cerberii_

 _"We are the custodians of desolation and destruction. There is no glory or valour in the path we tread, only death and ruin. No songs of victory echo in our wake, no glory follows our steps, only screams then silence. We are the left hand of ruin and the venom in the viper's bite. The bloody hand is our mark and our shadow casts only sorrow. With our blood is the Gate of Perdition sealed and none shall pass. We are the Cerberii."_


End file.
